2008 Red Burgundy

Learn more about 2008 Red Burgundy

Red Wines Vintage ReportThere are no rules this year. There is no evident bias in favour of either the Côte de Beaune or the Côte de Nuits. It is down to the individual producer, some of whom have made impressive wines for long-term keeping while others are offering delicious Burgundies that will be attractive young. Those that have fallen by the wayside made the wrong decisions during the growing season. Overall, there are more wines of substance, weight and genuine quality produced in 2008 than 2007.Read here the White Wines Vintage Report

2008 Burgundy Vintage ReportAfter a cold but mostly dry winter, spring got off to a slow start. April was an old-fashioned month, with something of everything, but none of the heat of the same time the year before. This made a brief appearance in the first ten days of May after which the weather turned grey, gloomy, cool and occasionally wet. When this went on well into June, fears of another miserable summer began to mount, along with the risk of mildew.

Then on 24th June, after a couple of heavy, humid and hot days, the wind turned more to the north west and delivered a week of beautiful sunshine, making it warm and dry without excessive heat (the sort of weather that never appeared through the middle of the 2007 summer). July was promising – again an improvement on 2007 – until a hail storm at the end of the month (Saturday 26th) damaged vineyards in Volnay, Pommard, Meursault, Beaune and especially Savigny-lès-Beaune.

There were some hot days in the first half of August and again at the end of the month but in between it was cool and wet with a series of westerly depressions blowing through. The long term forecast had promised a fine dry September but it did not materialise for the first half of the month. Rain on Thursday 11th, continuing sporadically for the next two days, caused deep gloom, especially in the Côte de Beaune and further south. Imagine the relief when Sunday 14th dawned, bright, cool and clear – at long last the wind had turned from the west to the north or north-east. This new weather pattern stayed in place, thank goodness, for the following fortnight and saved the harvest. A few people started picking on Sunday 21st with the majority beginning around Thursday 25th September.

It was not easy with hail, oidium, mildew, rot and unripe grapes to contend with, but those who had done their work in the vineyard well and were properly equipped at harvest were reasonably content. And the wines have turned out much better in the cellar than anybody could have imagined at the start of September. Tasting has not been easy, because in some cellars the malolactic fermentations were very late. The encouraging fact is how well the wines which went through their paces early are now showing. For the others, a little more patience will be needed.

Sylvain is quite possibly our youngest supplier of Burgundy and a man who shows clear ability at what he does. Blessed with a small parcel at the southern end of the Clos, Sylvain is already demonstrating his considerable talent.

Very tight and concentrated with more purple fruit than red to the fore, this bursts with energy yet is still refined. There is a suave feel to the mid-palate before the concentrated, long finish. Sylvain has made a more stylish Clos de Vougeot than in the past but without losing the positive aspects of its power.(Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director)

This has a beautifully enticing mix of strawberry and raspberry notes along with a touch of violets and similar succulent red fruit on the palate. Exceptionally stylish for Pommard, this is a great result for the domaine.

From a blend of Premier Cru vineyards, this wine’s bouquet has the classic Drouhin lightness of touch, yet with an encouraging depth of vibrant wild strawberry and raspberry fruit. The fruit certainly subdues the tannins; this is the essence of Chambolle-Musigny.

Most Exciting Value Red This is the largest premier cru in Nuits St Georges (though would still fit ten-times over in many Bordelais estates) at 9.55 hectares and is owned in its entirety by the Mugnier family. It was rented out to Maison Faiveley from 1950 to 2003, with Jacques-Fréderic making his début in 2004. The wine now has a definite “Chambolle” edge to it and combines Nuits weight with the Mugnier soft touch.(BBR Fine Wine)

The alluring perfume here is seriously expressive - more like a great Chambolle than a Nuits, but with a tell-tale Nuits grip. The palate has serious freshness, depth, complexity and a wonderfully long finish, all combined with the smooth texture. We are seeing the maestro that is Frédéric Mugnier really getting to grips with this vineyard – this is the best vintage of this wine yet.(BBR Fine Wine)

Mugnier’s Clos de la Maréchale has layer upon layer of dark red fruit with an impressive weight on the palate and a superb aftertaste. This should age very well indeed.(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Burgundy Buyer)

This superb vineyard should make one of the most stylish wines of Pommard, and Benjamin has yet again achieved this in 2008. An entirely red fruit wine, this is seamlessly put together with just a touch of spice and perfectly balanced acidity.

Made from tiny yields (only 26 hl/ha), the 2008 Clos des Lambrays certainly makes up in quality what it lacks in volume. There is tremendously elegant fruit on the bouquet and it is completed by a fresh, racy finish; a great result.

Red Wine Of The Vintage Malconsorts is the pure essence of Vosne-Romanée, and Sylvain is always among my favourite producers of this great wine. Waves of regal fruit, wrapped up in the finest of tannins, caress the palate. Long and lovely. (Chris Pollington, Fine Wine Sales Advisor)

One of Burgundy’s iconic wines, this has rich and sumptuous ripe cherry fruit which absolutely coats the mouth. There is an impressive sense of detail and a fine long finish. Monsieur Cathiard is on form again!(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Burgundy Buyer)

Black centre with purple edge. The Grands Echezeaux 2008 displays a gloriously heady nose, with even greater succulence than the Clos de Vougeot. There is a sublime wealth of fruit on the palate, with perfect balance. The finish is both fresh and full, and exceptionally long. The Eugénie team can be very proud of this wine.(Jasper Moris MW, BBR Buyer)

Again the elegance of the bouquet is paramount. This is the most powerful and the most complex of the three premiers crus, coming from 80 year old vines, with a proportion of stems used in the vinification. Sumptuous dense fruit is packed into a tight framework. Give this time.(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buyer)

The charismatic, charming and all-round top chap Thibault Liger-Belair is blessed with a sizeable chunk of this vineyard and is unsurprisingly involved in the movement to have it promoted to grand cru status. His recent vintages suggest that he has a point.(BBR Fine Wine)

A miniscule yield but a marvellous wine, this 1er Cru Nuits-St Georges has some delightful peppery touches to the remarkably elegant and persistent fruit. Watch this develop over the next decade.(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buyer)

The domaine has enough Clos de Vougeot to make two tanks of it, one including stems during the vinification the other without. The two are then blended together and they have made a brilliant wine in 2008. Dense colour with mid-purple centre. The bouquet is magnificent without being over showy, a complex compound of red and black fruit, subtly nuanced thanks to the stalks which also add an extra layer of texture. There is a magical long graceful finish, with seamless tannins. Drink 2013- 2020.(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buyer)

Most Exciting Value Red Made from very old vines, in this vintage Nicolas Potel’s Beaune Grèves is packed with typical silky charm and approachability. It offers a great deal of complexity and concentration with very impressive rich, red fruit aromas and lovely ripe, melting tannins. This is most definitely the Beaune to buy in this vintage.(David Jones, Fine Wine Sales Advisor)

From ancient vines planted in 1904, this Beaune Grèves wine has a really impressive depth of fruit tucked into a smart overcoat of well-judged oak. This has more power than Potel’s Savignys, while retaining the finesse; very fine.(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Burgundy Buyer)